Cantos Alegres (Joyful Songs)
Cantos Alegres was commissioned by and written for the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay, Jo-Michael Scheibe, Music and Artistic Director (by Paul Basler). The commission (sponsored in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts) came about after critically acclaimed performances of Basler's Missa Kenya in the spring of 2000 by Maestro Scheibe and the Master Chorale.
The poems (all in Spanish), chosen by the composer, are by a young California artist, Gabriel Navar, whose work is noted for its sensual imagery. An interesteing and important aspect of Navar's creative work is that each poem has a corresponding painting with the same title. Drama features prominently in Cantos Alegres and text painting abounds, highlighting Navar's beautiful poetry. A common thread moves through all nine poems - that of a love greater than all other loves.
Read a newspaper review on the first performance of Cantos Alegres performed in St. Petersburg, conducted by Jo-Michael Scheibe.
The poems (and paintings)
Open Gates & Glowing Faces, Melon-Flavored is the Day, The Day is Today, Love that Unites with the Greatest Love, Adorable Flow, Stars unite in you, Elevated, Splinter of the Sun, I rise like trees towards you.
Open Gates & Glowing Faces | | of course I am happy,
wouldn't you be? when I look
at open gates and see a garden full of life,
of good health, and smiles of glowing faces it ignites my spirit
I have never been more excited to be alive
and in the radiance of peace that grows, I know that when I
surrender to sleep and the ocean of night
cradles my dreams,
I can only be in one state of being
completely open |
|
Melon-Flavored is the Day | | purple falls the sleeplessness
of an enormous love,
of a love watermelon-scented
with sweet pain
for a dream thatreveals
in melodies for tomorrow
the taste of melon
which is the day...
the day is todayand falls enormously,
itâs a great song
and beautiful poetry
with sweet pain
for a dream thatis watermelon-colored
that keeps me awake
for the tremendous love
that is awesome
and melon-
flavored |
|
The Day is Today | | for many nights now
I've been wantingto dance in jumps
within the marinelight
that licks me this way
all is clear when
hunger evaporates
in expected rain
that falls here
kiss me, I offeryou
the sun that illuminates
the awakening
where I am at
with you I dancein jumps
night after night,
your light animates me
yesterday
as today
awaken me...
the day
is today |
|
Love that Unites with the GreatestLove | the minute is a blade a grass
and in this instant I absorb the forest
that opens itselfand flowers
like a wild mouththat sings
green verses andupon sleeping makes
cries grow that
nourish the garden well
cries and screamsof joy
grow
because the sky opens
to the hymn of awarmth,
a warmth of love
that unites withthe greatest love
it's enormous andspacial...
upon singing I'mdrenched
and flourish in wilderness
of green dreams
and verses of grass
in this instant
I absorb the lovethat unites
with the greatestlove
taste my words
fly my song
I live for the splendor |
|
Adorable Flow | | energy flows, flows...
within me it enters in abundance...
the senses are abridge
when I fall withthe force of water
like a petal of light
towards the fountain of the intimate
immensity of thedivine kiss in my mind...
adorable cosmic flow,
I am yours in
root and constellation
the senses are ariver
when I fall in lightning
towards the ecstatic celebration
of the fertile garden where
I find you planting rays of light
and nourishment
you run like thewater with its
energy and celestial smile,
smile that makesme flow
smile that imitates the sun...
and for its abundant warmth,
I jump as I laugh
because I enjoy ablade of grass
as I do an entireforest..
I shout as loud as I can
"I love living, Ilove living" |
|
|
Stars unite in you | | these words I dedicate
to the bridge oflove,
the love that unites me with the greatest love,
much greater thanI...
much greater thanthe yellow
that awakens early
that's how the glow is that awakens,
with its swift unique power,
all colors,
drenching them inlight
drenched in light, I absorb the pure juice
of midday,
juice sweet likethe melon...
sweet like the children who eat it
and reach elderlyage to remember
the taste of midday...
its melody I taste in the red then blue
of the night,
and when I look at the grand face of darkness
and navigate in the sea of light
that is a beautiful bridge of light
I know it is herewhere
the stars unite in you...
in you |
|
Elevated | | I live for the splendor surrounding your face
and for the silent darkness that your
eyes reflect upwards...
you navigate in eternity,
among the stars
that unite theirlights
in you
and when your days of glory become deflated,
I feel the radiance within the ribs
because you navigate upwards,
among the stars
that are
in me | |
Splinter of the Sun | | the body is a door,
upon entering, one can taste the
strong light, sostrong that if
the sun were madeof
wood, the internal fire of
the body would bea splinter
the body is a door,
upon opening onecan listen to
the rivers, the red rivers
of the natural electric currency
that upon beating, the
dream sea of being
can be reached
the door is a body,
upon closing onecan see
the zones of skin, skin of
a multitude of colors like a diverse
garden that swallows young rain
to nourish its hopes
the door is body,
upon leaving, onecan feel the
light weight of the landscape,
the immense landscape that is
illuminated withbodily light,
internal fire
splinter of the sun |
|
I rise like trees towards you | | I get close to you when
I lie over the earth
and shut my eyes...
with face towards the sun,
I see dark orange in an
infinite mentalsky
where I find you
planting
rays of light
light that falls
within
internal windows
that open
to allow
the smell of
trees
penetrate
my
ascension
towards you
towards you | |
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